In the context of slanders and lies.

David Link, an SSM supporter at The Independent Gay Forum, wrote about the topic of broadcasting the trial of the California marriage amendment. Here is a snippet.

"Truth Will Out."

YouTube or no, it is the fact of having the trial that is important. You can see that in the cross-examination of our witnesses, such as George Chauncey. As in the Prop. 8 commercials, our opponents take many things out of context in order to try and mischaracterize the record. But in a court of law, the witness has the ability to put those words right back into context, and shame the questioner. That seems to have happened a number of times . . . though of course I am only reporting hearsay here, since for some reason the testimony is not being made available directly.

Eventually, the result of the trial will be made public, including the judge’s assessment of all the evidence, pro and con, and his conclusions about both the law and the facts. And, for the reviewing court (and hopefully the rest of us), the entire transcript, including the exhibits, will also be available as a public record.

In that sort of context, it is harder to get away with slanders and lies than it is in a 30-second TV spot - though I fully expect slanders and lies to be released about the trial and its result. That includes the lie and slander that witnesses for the opposition will be subjected to the tortures of the damned if they are required to be seen by the very public which, up until now, they have so assiduously courted.

See my previous blogpost, "Daily Transcripts from the Proposition 8 Trial."

I doubt that "the fact of having the trial" would be appear to be so important if it were not a bench trial. As Ed Whelan says, Judge Walker has embarked on a fool's errand. Clearly, Mr. Link approves of it as a fact-finding mission.

See: "Whelan: Judge on a Fool's Errand in Prop 8 Trial."

Mr. Link may forget that during the amendment campaign, the very people he mocks were open and public with their advocacy. And he may also forget that after that campaign, the very people for whom he himself advocates SSM were assiduous in their reprisals and vengeance-seeking of people on the Yes side.

See: "Dear Vaughn: Letter to Judge Walker from NOM."

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Return to "The pro-SSM view of the Proposition 8 trial."